Banned or Challenged 20th-Century Classics, Grades 9–12

Explore this gallery of banned or challenged classics from the 20th century. Learn why these books were challenged, and celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week. Each book is paired with a literature resource to use in your high school classroom.

1984 by George Orwell

George Orwell's thought-provoking novel 1984 covers the themes of dehumanization, isolation, repression, loneliness, social class disparity, and abuse of power.

Published in 1949, the dystopian novel was banned in the USSR until the 1980s for political reasons. In 1981, it was challenged in Jackson County, Florida, for being "pro-communist" and containing "explicit sexual matter".